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Penn State football's 2024 schedule release: Dates set for Nittany Lions' conference games next season

Greg Pickelby:Greg Pickel•11/02/23•

GregPickel

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(Credit: Steve Manuel | Blue White Illustrated)

Penn State previously learned on Oct. 4 who it would play in the Big Ten during the 2024 season. Now, almost a month later, Nittany Lion fans now know when those contests will be played. Marquee home conference games for the Nittany Lions include visits from UCLA, Ohio State and Washington. The top road trips for head coach James Franklin’s team during league play include stops at USC and Wisconsin. The Nittany Lions will also start the season in Morgantown against West Virginia.

Here is a look at the schedule by home and away dates:

Home

Sept. 28 – Illinois
Oct. 5 – UCLA
Nov. 2 – Ohio State
Nov. 9 – Washington
Nov. 30 – Maryland

Away

Oct. 12 – at USC
Oct. 26 – at Wisconsin
Nov. 16 – at Purdue
Nov. 23 – at Minnesota

Here is the full 2024 schedule chronologically:

Aug. 31 – at West Virginia
Sept. 7 – Bowling Green
Sept. 14 – BYE WEEK
Sept. 21 – Kent State
Sept. 28 – Illinois

Oct. 5 – UCLA
Oct. 12 – at USC
Oct. 19 – BYE WEEK
Oct. 26 – at Wisconsin

Nov. 2 – Ohio State
Nov. 9 – Washington
Nov. 16 – at Purdue
Nov. 23 – at Minnesota
Nov. 30 – Maryland

Thoughts on the 2024 Penn State schedule

– Illinois traveling to Beaver Stadium on Sept. 28 ends an eight-year streak where Penn State starts conference play on the road.

– Penn State will see the two California schools early in the year, as UCLA travels to Beaver Stadium on October 5. They’ll then head to Los Angeles the following week, Oct. 12, to take on Southern Cal.

– The beginning of November is also a massive stretch for the Nittany Lions, as Penn State will host Ohio State Nov. 2 before Washington comes to town the following week, Nov. 9.

– Following the UCLA game, Penn State won’t play at home again until Nov. 2. In addition to the game at USC and their bye week being scheduled for Oct. 19, the Nittany Lions also have a road game at Wisconsin, Oct. 26.

– Penn State has no protected opponents. Because of that, schools like Ohio State, Michigan, Rutgers and Maryland will no longer be on the schedule every year.

“The conference handles all the scheduling,” Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft said in July. “James [Franklin] and I laughed, [and said] ‘well, we really are unrivaled. We say it.

“It gets to be a little bit of a political thing, of push and pull, but it is what it is,” Kraft said. “We’ll play whoever. We don’t get to dictate schedules and it shouldn’t be that way. We’ll line up and play anybody and move on.”

– Divisions also go away starting next year. The College Football Playoff will also expand to 12 teams.

You can see the rest of the Lions’ future Big Ten schedules below. Known non-conference opponents and/or dates are included, as well.

Nittany Lions 2025 opponents

Home

Aug. 30 – Nevada
Sept. 13 – Villanova
Indiana
Northwestern
Nebraska
Oregon

Away

Iowa
Michigan State
Ohio State
Rutgers
UCLA

Penn State 2026 opponents

Home

Sept. 5 – Marshall
Sept. 19 – Buffalo
Minnesota
Purdue
Rutgers
USC
Wisconsin

Away

Sept. 12 – Temple
Maryland
Michigan
Northwestern
Washington

Nittany Lions 2027 opponents

Home

Sept. 4 – Syracuse
Sept. 11 – Delaware
Sept. 18 – Temple
Maryland
Michigan
Michigan State
Washington

Away

Illinois
Indiana
Oregon
Purdue
Wisconsin

Penn State 2028 opponents

Home

Sept. 2 – Ball State
Indiana
Iowa
Ohio State
Oregon
UCLA

Away

Sept. 9 – Syracuse
Michigan State
Nebraska
Rutgers
USC

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